Album review : AXE – The Offering (Remaster)

Rock Candy Records [Release date 24.05.24]

Third time lucky for Axe. The Offering, released in 1982, got enough sales and radio airplay to put them firmly on the USA’s Melodic Rock map, leading directly to tours with Kiss, The Scorpions and ZZ Top.

Founded by guitarist, Bobby Barth, Florida band Axe suffered more than its fair share of tragedy. The Offering album had set them on the path to recognition and ultimate success, but a year later an automobile accident resulted in the death of lead guitarist, Mike Osborne and severe injury to Barth (from which he eventually recovered).

But that came later. Meantime, a trio of key tracks from The Offering tattooed their high impact stylings across FM Radio airwaves.

The enduring party rock of ‘Rock’n’Roll Party In The Street’ was a breakthrough moment for the band. The intro cleverly duplicates the sound of Steinman on his Steinway, before crowd-moving rhythms, roughed up riffs and Edgar Riley’s gravel throated vocals combine to hit our musical sweet spot.

Further on, with only a hint of bombast, the declamatory ‘Jennifer’ does a persuasive job of matching style with substance, and just when you’re thinking it’s time the band moved onto weightier issues, they deliver the strident ‘Silent Soldiers’…”Fighting battles here on the street, growing stronger every night that they meet.”

The circumstances are not clear, but emotions are running high.

What should have been a smooth upward trajectory thereafter turned into a tragic set of circumstances. Credit to Barth and the band for eventually clawing their way back to where they belonged. ***

Review by Brian McGowan

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